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As part of the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025, a unique project blending sport and culture was carried out on the initiative of the Baku City Circuit Operations Company. Azerbaijan’s world-renowned chess master, FIDE World Cup winner, Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov, played a friendly game of chess with Ferrari’s star drivers – Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
This exclusive meeting took place in the Paddock area of the Baku City Circuit ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025. The project brought together the intellectual power of chess with the speed and technology-driven world of Formula 1, highlighting the shared values of both sports – precision, focus, and strategy.
At the end of the game, Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov presented the drivers with specially crafted carpets featuring chessboard-inspired designs, symbolically uniting Azerbaijan’s centuries-old carpet weaving tradition with its modern reputation as a chess powerhouse. This meaningful gift was presented to the global audience as a reflection of both ancient heritage and contemporary creativity.
A video from this remarkable encounter has already been published on Scuderia Ferrari’s official Instagram page, reaching millions of fans and generating strong international interest.
